Today's lineups

Livan is hoping to be the first Nats pitcher to reach 10 wins since 2008, which would be only the fifth time a DC pitcher has reached the mark since baseball returned to the district.

Redding (10, 2008)
Ortiz (11, 2007
Hernandez (15, 2005)
Loaiza (12, 2005)

There better be an MLB-authored novel coming out explaining why the Nyjer appeal is taking so freaking long.

"There better be an MLB-authored novel coming out explaining why the Nyjer appeal is taking so freaking long."

Just look at who's ultimately in charge of making this decision - the indecisive Mr. Selig. Didn't he once spend a month in the grocery line after the cashier asked him "Paper or plastic?"?

With the exception of Pudge, this lineup was awful yesterday. You would think they would have mixed it up a bit. Bernadina is not ready for the 3 hole and Espinosa and Desmond are still trying to figure out the strike zone and work the count. It's tough scoring runs if the top of the lineup is not doing their jobs.

John,

Yes, Livan is terrific, having a chance to notch double digit wins! It would be great if he could match Redding's total of 10 wins in 2008, since no one was able to accomplish such a high level in 2009, as you point out. Livan is also the only Nat to have pitched a complete game this season. Livan can be the the first Nat to reach 100 strike outs on the season. Golly, in a dismal year for the Nats, it helps to be proud of someone on your home team.

This reminds me of 2008 in another way. Lastings Milledge in that season tied for the club HR lead with 14 (tied with Zim) and led all Nats with 61 RBI. Given this history, it is no wonder Dunn doesn't fit in around here.

Remembering those sad HR totals from 2008 makes me again shake my head at the comment on an earlier thread that Dunn "only" hit 38 last year and "only" 35 this year. Jeez. And it was no coincidence that Zim's totals jumped once he had Dunn as protection. I'm gonna miss him, and I suspect I will miss Zim's higher HR total as teams again can just pitch around him. Maybe the team will next try to convince us that Lastings has hugely improved and we should welcome him back. (That's a joke, I hope.)

If the Nationals are serious about winning games, they need to put their best possible lineup on the field consistently.

1) CF-Morgan
2)* SS-Desmond/Espinosa
3)* 3B-Zimmerman or RF-Morse
4)* 1B-Dunn or 3B-Zimmerman
5)* RF-Morse or 1B-Dunn
6) LF-Bernadina
7)* 2B-Espinosa/Kennedy
8) CA-Rodriguez/Ramos
9) SP

* = Depending on RH/LH Starter from opposing team.
The team has tossed away enough wins messing around with the likes of Harris, AGonz, JMax, & Nieves in the starting nine. Let's get real for the final 18 games.